My friend Rommel was the Student Council President of AMA Computer University from 2003-2005, the same time I held the position as president AMA microsystems, AMACU's #1 student organization --NAKS! Rommel sent me a message on Friendster informing me about a feature article on Inquirer. He's featured on Nancy Carvajal's Tale of the City. Just a few corrections on the article, he studied at AMAQC so it should be AMA COMPUTER UNIVERSITY not AMA Computer College. He also served as student council president on 2003 not 2002. I think it was Leny who manned the position in 2002.

Editor's Note: Published on page A26 of the May 7, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

HIS body may be confined to a wheelchair but his spirit and will take him anywhere he wants to.

At the age of three, Rommel Apostol was stricken ill with polio, leaving his legs weak and useless. He has not walked since.

Now 21, he said that his disability has not prevented him from living as normal a life as possible, including being in a relationship with the opposite sex.

“I have accepted my condition and it has not stopped me from trying to do things normal people do,” Apostol told the Inquirer.

With honors

The young man works at the Valenzuela City Information Technology Department where he is the chief of the programming section. Apostol is a graduate of the AMA Computer College where he graduated cum laude with a degree in Computer Science. On weekends, he plays basketball, lawn and table tennis. He also has a girlfriend, Rain, who works in Saudi Arabia.

Growing up, Apostol said that there were days when he felt depressed, not because of his condition, but because of the way some people looked down on him.

“I pity them for their ignorance because they could also be disabled by sickness like I was or by aging,” he pointed out.

Apostol added that all people have their own disability. “Mine is physical disability. Other people, on the other hand, may be handicapped by ignorance, inexperience and immaturity.”

His wheelchair, however, has not slowed him down one bit. “My disability has driven me to challenge myself to finish my studies and make worthwhile the efforts of people who love and help me,” he said.

Apostol said he was grateful to his parents who, despite their being poor, went the extra mile to bring him up as normally as possible.

“They would carry me to school so that I could attend class,” he said.

At an early age, the young Apostol already showed signs of independence and a determination to be the best that he could be despite his handicap.

As a boy, he refused to ask for help in moving around, preferring to crawl instead of being carried around.

Young achiever

He graduated at the top of his class in both elementary and high school. Along the way, he also won several spelling bee contests.

Apostol said he also dabbled in extracurricular activities in high school. “I played basketball, lawn and table tennis and was even an officer of the Citizen’s Army Training course,” he told the Inquirer.

Upon graduation, Apostol went to AMA Computer College on a scholarship grant from the Department of Science and Technology and Sherwin Gatchalian, now mayor of Valenzuela City.

In college, he was elected student council president, a post which he held from 2002 to 2004.

It was also during this time that he experienced falling in love for the first time.

“All the pain that I went through earlier in my life was erased by my relationship with Rain,” Apostol said.

He was also involved with another girl at one time and in both instances, it was the girl’s parents who had misgivings about the relationship instead of the parties involved.

“Maybe they were scared that their daughters would end up providing for me instead of the other way around,” Apostol joked.

Right now, he said that he is earning enough although he would like to make more money to help his parents.

“I feel like I am more a financially challenged than physically disabled person,” Apostol said with a smile.

Given the chance, Apostol said he would like to work in Saudi Arabia so that he could be with Rain who has migrated there.

One more goal

He also has another goal: Show “normal” people that persons with disabilities like himself can be self-reliant and should not be discriminated against. “I believe that people with disabilities should be given equal opportunities in accessibility, education, income maintenance and social security.”

And the best way Apostol thinks he can put the message across is by appearing on national TV, specifically on a reality TV program like ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Big Brother.

“I intend to audition for the next edition of Pinoy Big Brother to show that people like me can do things normal people do. I would like to show televiewers that having a disability is not a hindrance,” Apostol added.

Mel, you should have mentioned during the interview how Andrew and James carried you upto the main building's 3rd Flr.. :P Hehehehe.